


Winter Wonderland

by EmberCartwright



Series: Tyzula Things [24]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Cat lesbians, Christmas, Christmas Tree, F/F, Fluff, Girlfriends - Freeform, Hot Chocolate, Winter Solstice, different situations same tyzula, some canon compliant some au, tyzula - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:47:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27685136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberCartwright/pseuds/EmberCartwright
Summary: The holiday season is the best season and Ty Lee and Azula's relationship reflects that! Series of unconnected tyzula one shots.
Relationships: Azula/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Series: Tyzula Things [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019697
Comments: 5
Kudos: 121





	1. Christmas Tree Farm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko drags his sister to pick a Christmas tree. Azula expects the trip to be cute torture, until she runs into someone that changes her mind.

“Christmas is next week,” Zuko said when Azula tossed his takeout container at him. 

“I am aware,” she said, sitting down across from him at their table. 

“We aren’t very festive people,” he said. 

“You’re now two for two on very obvious statements,” Azula drawled and they opened their food and began eating. 

“We should be more festive. Some decorations could really liven this place up,” he said. 

“This place wasn’t even lively when we were children and there was a “real” family living here. Now it’s just two college students on break.” 

“Sometimes Mai stays here.”

“Your gloomy, goth girlfriend thinks we need Christmas cheer?”

“Maybe this house would feel more homey and less empty if we got a tree or something. I don’t know, okay. Whatever,” Zuko said angrily and began to aggressively shovel food into his mouth. 

Azula weighed the inconvenience of getting a Christmas tree against the inconvenience of Zuko’s bitterness for at least a week. 

“Okay fine. Let’s get a tree.” 

Zuko looked up at her and blinked. 

“Was that… compromise?”

“Father is turning over in his prison cell,” Azula said, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms over her chest. 

Zuko snorted. 

“Maybe this is the magic of christmas. Maybe we should get you a Santa suit and see if your heart grows three sizes.”

“Why are you making a big deal out of a stupid tree. I happen to really enjoy the smell of Christmas trees. I’ve read that it makes you more productive.” 

“Whatever,” Zuko shrugged. 

Azula rolled her eyes.  
**********************************************************************************************************  
Two days later Azula stood in her Canada Goose coat in the middle of a Christmas tree farm during what felt like a snowstorm. 

“I was under the impression we would just get one of these delivered,” she said as Zuko ushered her down the frost sprinkled path. 

“You wanted the smell. Now you can pick one for the smell.” 

“You often neglect the fact that we’re unbelievably rich,” Azula said, rolling her eyes.

“You often neglect doing little things simply for enjoyment,” Zuko retorted.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Uncle,” Azula complained. 

Zuko just pulled down her hood, which Azula flipped right back up, but not before she got a few snowflakes in her hair. 

“You’re a child,” she seethed. 

They walked down never ending rows of trees looking at what Azula considered to be identical trees. Each tree was brushed with a thin layer of clean white snow.

“Do you like this one,” Zuko asked, pointing at another tree. 

“I don’t have any different feelings about this one than the last fifty you pointed at.” 

“You’ll know when it’s the right tree,” Zuko said, trudging on. 

“I can’t feel my face and I highly doubt we will find our soul tree. We should just pick one and then go home.”

“Are you not enjoying yourself,” Zuko asked as he inspected the next tree. 

“This isn’t a very exhilarating activity.”

Then the sound of laughter filled the air. It was the kind of laugh that was infectious. It rang with melodic tones and it dared all those who heard it to join in. 

“It seems like someone here would disagree with you,” Zuko commented. 

“This is definitely not the right tree,” he concluded, moving to the next one, which happened to be in the direction of the laughter. 

“How do you know,” Azula said, exasperated. “Did it tell you?”

As they walked deeper into the farm the laughter faded into the voices of two girls chatting amicably. One voice was the chipper, high one that Azula judged to be responsible for the laugh. The other one was lower in register but she didn’t sound at all tired of her friend’s overwhelming energy. 

“This one looks nice,” Zuko said, turning to a tree on their left. 

Azula turned to see which tree he was looking at now when her gaze was met by large, deep gray eyes. 

The eyes were full of pure, unadulterated joy which usually made Azula extremely annoyed but this time she was drawn in. 

They lay underneath a shiny, sweeping head of long, chestnut hair which was pulled into a braid and covered in small, unmelted snow crystals. 

The girl smiled at Azula who realized she’d been caught staring and she blushed deeply and looked down. Azula prayed that the blush was not noticeable beneath her already rosy cheeks. 

“Hey!” The girl said as Azula turned away, catching her attention again. 

“Hi,” Azula said quietly. 

The girl stepped forward into the space between the rows of trees, closer to Azula. 

“Don’t you just love Christmas tree shopping,” the girl asked. 

“Actually my brother dragged me here. He complains that I sorely lack holiday cheer. I can’t possibly imagine why he’d think that,” she said dryly, crossing her arms. 

The girl threw her head back and laughed loudly which caused Azula to smile against her better nature. The girl's bangs slid across her face and Azula just wanted to push them back and press her face against this girl, and oh my god what was she thinking about. 

“You’re much prettier with a smile,” the girl said boldly. 

“Thank you,” Azula said, kicking herself. Why couldn’t she flirt? 

“I really like your eyes, they remind me of storm clouds,” she tried and almost buried her head in her hands. Why couldn’t she just get struck with lightning. That would spare her the humiliation. 

The girl raised her eyebrow. “Storm clouds?”

“In a good way,” Azula stuttered. “I love storms. They have passion and precision and…” she trailed off before she could continue extolling the virtues of storms. 

“Well, thank you I guess,” the girl said. “I love your eyes as well.” 

Azula just blushed deeper. She was sure her face was exuding heat by now. 

“Ty Lee, who are you talking to,” came a voice from the girl’s side of the row. 

“A very pretty girl in the trees. Her name is…” she glanced back at Azula. 

“Azula.” 

“Her name is Azula,” she finished. 

“Aren’t you cold,” Azula said, noticing the girl’s light jacket. Ty Lee’s light jacket. Her friend had called her Ty Lee.

Ty Lee shrugged. 

“I don’t mind.” 

“That coat doesn’t even look too waterproof,” Azula said, and in a spontaneous move she lifted her gloved hand to brush off some snow that had collected on Ty Lee’s shoulder. 

Azula could definitely see a blush light up on the girl's cheeks.

“Maybe sometime we could go somewhere warmer. Get a cup of coffee?”

“Y-yeah. Incidentally, my game is actually much smoother when it’s not snowing on me,” Azula said cavalierly, trying to match Ty Lee’s forwardness and desperately wanting to hear that laugh again. 

She was rewarded with one as Ty Lee took out her phone.

“Here, put your info in,” she said, pushing her phone towards Azula. Their hands passed over each other and Azula felt a shiver go down her spine. She quickly took the phone and typed her name and number. 

Ty Lee grabbed her phone back and snapped a picture of Azula, catching her off guard. 

“For your contact!” she explained. “And I think you’re very cute inside that puffy coat.” 

While Azula attempted to recover from having her picture taken Ty Lee sent her a text. 

“Hey!! It’s Ty Lee. The really cute girl from the Christmas tree farm that you should ask out for coffee rly soon. In case you forget :)” 

Azula read the text and smiled lightly. 

“Now you have my number too. You’d better use it,” she said with a wink.

“Azula,” Zuko called. “Where did you go.” 

“That’s my brother. Maybe I should hide here longer. If I froze to death on this tree farm that he made me come to he would never forgive himself,” she said with a smirk. 

“You’re terrible,” Ty Lee giggled. “I would hide with you but I can’t leave Suki alone too long or she’ll pick the wrong tree.” 

“Don’t tell me you believe in “soul trees” too?” 

“Soul trees?” Ty Lee asked. 

“That there is one perfect tree,” Azula explained. 

Ty Lee laughed again, the sound washing over Azula as strongly as it did the first time. All she wanted to do was make this girl laugh over and over. 

And to kiss her. Azula still had a strong urge to kiss her. 

“Suki has a very weak sense of smell and I’m just worried she’ll pick one that doesn’t have that really great Christmas smell, which is the best part of the tree experience! Besides decorating of course.” 

Azula’s face darkened. 

“I didn’t even think about that. Do you think my brother is going to make us decorate a tree together? I might actually just die. Me, him, his gloomy girlfriend Mai,” Azula listed, getting lost in her thoughts and briefly forgetting about Ty Lee.

“Well you should invite me! I love decorating. I'm sure I can make that event more exciting!”

“I don’t know,” Azula smirked. “I feel like tree decorating is more of a third date experience.”

“Well I feel like this could count as one,” Ty Lee said counting on her fingers. “Then there’s that coffee date you’ve already promised me. So yeah, that checks out.”

Azula smiled. “You’re quite persuasive,” she said. 

“I know,” Ty Lee said. “Anyway, you better text me soon if the decorating is gonna be a third date,” she said, stepping away from Azula and back towards where Suki was. 

“Wait one last thing,” Azula said. Ty Lee stopped and raised her eyebrow. “How do you know which tree smells the best,” she asked. “I also find that to be a critical aspect of trees.”

Ty Lee smiled and grabbed Azula’s hand pulling her forward, causing Azula’s eyes to bulge. She dragged her down to a little tag at the base of a tree. They squatted together and all Azula could think of was how close she was to Ty Lee and how the smoke coming from their breaths was mingling. 

“Balsam firs are marked with this green dot,” Ty Lee showed Azula. “They smell the best.”

“T-thank you,” Azula stuttered, involuntarily. 

They stood up and Azula realized Ty Lee was still holding her hand. 

“Alas, this date has come to an end,” Ty Lee said, with a bit of a dramatic tone. 

“Alas? Date? We stood and chatted in some trees.”

“I learned so much about you,” Ty Lee said, stepping closer. Azula’s breath hitched and her heart raced. “More than I learn about most people on a first date.”

“Oh yeah,” Azula whispered, scared to move.

“You like storms, you have a brother with a gloomy girlfriend named Mai, you’re quite bad at flirting but you say you’re better when it's not snowing so we’ll have to see about that.”

Azula swallowed hard. Ty Lee lifted one of her hands to Azula’s face and her stomach flipped. 

“You like the smell of Christmas trees, and well this isn’t a fact as much of an assumption but I think you like me as much as I like you.”

Azula nodded slowly. Ty Lee pressed forward and kissed Azula. Their lips were cold and slightly chapped but the kiss was warm and soft and perfect. 

She stepped back and looked at Azula.

“Do you make a habit of kissing strangers on Christmas tree farms?” Azula asked. 

“No, I’ve never done that before but it just felt right, you know.” 

“Yeah,” Azula said quietly. 

“Azula seriously, where are you,” Zuko shouted again. 

“Well I really should go,” she said, still dazed. 

“Bye Azula.” 

“Bye Ty Lee.”


	2. Hot Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uncle Iroh is in town and is eager to share his various international hot chocolate recipes and Ty Lee is a more than willing recipient for the treat. Unfortunately for Azula, she is the one who has to deal with the subsequent sugar rush.

Azula walked into the palace kitchens looking for a snack when she saw her girlfriend and her uncle sitting at a table drinking something. Probably drinking his stupid tea while he gives her stupid advice that she’s going to butcher back to her later, Azula thought rolling her eyes. 

“Azula, come join us,” Iroh called when he saw her, waving. 

“‘Zula?” Ty Lee said, turning both ways to look behind her before springing out of her seat. “‘Zula!” she shrieked excitedly and flew towards Azula, grabbing her neck. 

Azula was stunned at the sheer speed of her movement and it was all she could do to hold Ty Lee’s waist and kiss her back as Ty Lee pressed her lips fiercely against Azula’s. 

After a few kisses Azula pulled away dazed, blushing. 

“Ty, what? My uncle…” 

Ty Lee unwrapped herself from Azula and stood in front of her. It looked like she was vibrating. 

Azula licked her lips and realized what felt off. Her lips were sweet and tasted vaguely of chocolate. 

“What are you drinking,” she asked, pressing her hands on Ty Lee’s shoulders in a futile attempt to get her to stand still. 

“Can’t you taste it,” Ty Lee said, putting her hands on Azula’s hips and kissing Azula again, this time slipping her tongue into Azula’s mouth. 

Azula pulled away again and blushed deeper, very conscious of the fact that her uncle was watching them. She thought about the flavor Ty Lee had left in her mouth.

“Hot chocolate?”

“Yeah! Did you know hot chocolate is a special drink usually made during the Winter Solstice? Well I didn’t but your Uncle made it for me and we tried all the variations that he’s tasted around the world and the Fire Nation one is the best, obviously, but I think the one that Aang taught him is pretty good and actually the Earth Kingdom ones aren’t bad but the Water Tribe versions were not fully to my liking and the most interesting ones were from the colonies and-” 

Azula cut her off the only way that she knew how, with a quick kiss. 

“Shhh. That was the longest sentence I’ve ever heard,” she said. 

Ty Lee giggled and grabbed her arm, dragging her over to the table. They both sat down across from Iroh but Ty Lee couldn’t sit still for long. Getting up she began to demonstrate acrobatics all over the kitchen. 

“I think your girlfriend is suffering from a bit of a sugar high,” Uncle Iroh said chuckling. 

“How much sugar did you give her exactly,” Azula asked her uncle as they watched Ty Lee walk on her hands across a counter. 

“There were only eight or nine different kinds of hot chocolate,” he said, indicating all of the cups on the table. The ones closer to him were all partially full while Ty Lee’s were all drained to the last drop. 

“Was she meant to finish all of them?”

“Well, no,” Iroh said, stroking his bread. “Usually the taste test is just for sampling all of them and then finishing the ones you like after. However, it's too much for me,” he said, rubbing his stomach. “I’m full.”

Azula rubbed her temples as Ty Lee jumped onto a stove hood. 

“Ty Lee, act your age and get down from the ceiling,” she commanded. “You’re seventeen not seven.”

Ty Lee slid off of the stove hood but Azula’s peeved tone did not put a damper on her mood. She sat down next to Azula and grabbed her hand, fidgeting with Azula’s fingertips. 

“Have you tried any of the hot chocolates,” she asked. 

“No I haven’t. There aren’t any more cups,” she said. 

“You can have mine, my dear niece,” Iroh said. 

Azula glared at him. 

“It’s really okay. I don’t want to catch the senility that you’ve probably left on the rim of your glass.”

Iroh chuckled, but Ty Lee’s eyes lit up. She grabbed Iroh’s half filled cups and started dumping them into hers. 

“Ty, you really shouldn’t have any more hot chocolate.” 

“It’s not for me, it’s for you! You can use my cup because we share saliva anyway,” she said, sounding proud for figuring a way out of Azula’s loophole. 

Azula blushed and took a cup that Ty Lee was pressing into her hand. She tipped it towards her mouth and let a little hot chocolate flow in. It tasted delicious. The sweetness of the beverage was cut with chili, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove flavors. 

“Mmm, that’s very good. Is this the Fire Nation one?” 

“Let me see,” Ty Lee said, yanking the cup out of her hand and downing what was left inside. “Yeah that was.” 

Azula chuckled at Ty Lee’s little hot chocolate mustache. 

“You have something,” she said, lifting her thumb to swipe it off. 

Ty Lee beamed at the affection and melted into the touch. Iroh watched them knowingly. 

“You two are very cute,” he said. 

Ty Lee thanked him and Azula rolled her eyes. Azula was trying to think of the fastest way to take Ty Lee and leave her agniforsaken uncle and his agniforsaken observations. 

“Ty, do you want to go for a walk in the gardens? Work off some of that sugar?” 

She said it with enough of a suggestive tone that Iroh smirked. The smirk looked remarkably like Azula’s, Ty Lee noticed, but she didn’t say anything. 

“Yeah, let’s go!”

Azula exhaled in relief as she rose from the table, Ty Lee wrapped herself around Azula’s arm.

“Always a pleasure, Uncle.”

“Likewise, niece.”

“Bye!” 

“Have a good evening girls,” he said, gathering up the cups. 

“You know there is a staff for that,” Azula said as Ty Lee began to drag her out. 

Iroh shrugged. “I don’t mind,” he said, balancing the stack expertly.

When Ty Lee had dragged Azula sufficiently out into the hallway, she stopped and pushed her up against the wall.

“We’re not actually going on a walk, are we,” she asked.

Azula chuckled. 

“I’m not sure. I have half a mind to set you to running laps,” she said, dragging her fingers up Ty Lee’s sides. 

Ty Lee dug her teeth playfully into Azula’s neck causing her to release a cross between a giggle and a moan. 

Azula slid her hands up the back of Ty Lee’s shirt. 

“Uh, the gardens are actually that way,” Uncle Iroh’s voice sounded down the hallway. 

Azula blushed for what felt like the thousandth time that hour, grabbed Ty Lee’s hand and took off running. 

Ty Lee laughed loudly as they sprinted through the palace causing people to jump out of their way at every turn. 

As they blasted past Zuko, Ty Lee shouted “out of the way skinny,” just like Zuko used to do when he ran by them with his toy swords as children. Zuko barely stepped out of their path. 

They got back to their room and collapsed on the bed in a panting and giggle mess. 

Ty Lee crawled into Azula’s arms and curled up. 

“I’m suddenly so tired,” she whimpered. 

“That was the quickest sugar crash I’ve ever witnessed in my life,” Azula said, rubbing her back softly. 

“Well you did make me run,” Ty Lee muttered with genuine sleepiness in her voice. 

Azula giggled, and the vibrations in her chest soothed Ty Lee. 

“Night ‘Zula,” she whispered. 

“It’s literally 8pm.”


	3. Sweater Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ty Lee gets inspired by an instagram post. Azula is left to clean up the aftermath.
> 
> OR
> 
> Cat in a sweater? Cat in a sweater.

Azula walked into her house and was slightly disappointed not to be greeted by her wife as she usually was. 

She unzipped her coat and unwrapped her scarf, tossing both onto a table for someone to deal with later. 

“Ty? Are you here?”

“‘Zula! You’re home,” Ty Lee called from upstairs. 

“I am indeed home. What are you doing up there?”

“I actually could use a little help. I may have gotten into quite a predicament,” Ty Lee said with a nervous laugh.

Concerned, Azula climbed the stairs two at a time until she reached the upper level. 

“Where are you Ty?”

“I’m in the bathroom,” she replied. 

Azula walked into their bathroom and the first thing she saw was blood, a lot of it. She felt a small wave of panic. 

“Baby, are you okay?” she asked, her fear creeping into her voice. 

“Oh yeah totally. That’s not the predicament,” Ty Lee said reassuringly. 

Azula stepped around the pools of blood on the tile as she moved towards her wife’s voice, which she gauged was coming from the bathtub. 

“Is someone else not okay,” she asked slowly. “It’s fine if that’s the case but you could have at least warned me to change. I like this shirt and if I have to burn it I’ll be very inconvenienced…”

Ty Lee giggled and Azula relaxed a little. If she could laugh she probably wasn’t hiding a dead body in the tub. 

Azula opened the opaque glass door to the shower and bathtub and released an involuntary snort at the sight in front of her. 

Ty Lee was sitting in the tub holding their cat in her arms. Actually she was wrestling with the cat. Her arms and face were covered in scratches which explained the blood on the floor, and the best part was that Ty Lee had managed to force the poor cat into a Christmas sweater. 

“Close the door before Twinkle Toes escapes!”

Azula shut the door and stepped into the tub, squatting down across from her wife. 

“What happened here?”

“Can you take a picture first and then I can tell you later. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to hold him,” she asked as the cat tried in vain to wiggle his way out of her firm grasp. 

Azula dutifully took out her phone and snapped a few shots of the cat in the sweater, which was admittedly adorable. Not that Azula would ever say that. 

She didn’t even want a cat in the first place and even though they’d gotten him three years ago she refused to admit that she loved him. Ty Lee knew Azula loved him and showed him enough affection for both of them. 

Silently Azula wondered whether he liked her better than his other mom. They had a better understanding and Ty Lee always complained that Twinkle Toes chose to curl up by Azula and not her. 

She also took a few pictures of Ty Lee with the cat to remind her how stupid it was to bully the cat like this in case she got any more ideas next year. 

“Okay the moment has been captured,” she said.

“Show me the pictures,” Ty Lee demanded. 

Azula turned her phone and swiped through the photos. Ty Lee nodded satisfied. 

“Can you get the door again please,” she said. 

Azula got up and opened the door. Ty Lee lowered the cat over the edge of the tub and released him. Azula had never seen a cat run as fast as Twinkle Toes scampered out of the bathroom. 

Azula extended a hand to Ty Lee who was still in the tub and raised an eyebrow at her. Ty Lee took it and Azula pulled her up. She tried to hug her but Azula stepped away. 

“Not with your bloody everything and my nice clothes.” 

Ty Lee pouted but she let Azula lead her to their bedroom and sit her down on a chair. 

“Explain,” Azula commanded as she started to change. 

“I saw a picture of a cat in a Christmas sweater on instagram. I had to try it,” Ty Lee said with a shrug. 

After Azula had switched into comfortable at home clothes, she pulled back her hair and got a first aid kit out of the closet. 

“Why was that in the back of your closet,” Ty Lee asked as Azula sat down across from her. 

“In case you did something stupid like stuff our cat into a sweater. Why didn’t you stop when he scratched you? This is going to sting,” she said as she poured iodine on a cotton swab and flicked it over the first scratch.

Ty Lee hissed and jerked her hand but Azula held tightly to her wrist. 

“You got yourself shredded, you can sit through me cleaning it,” Azula growled and Ty Lee slumped and relaxed her arm. 

“If I stopped after he scratched me I’d be a quitter and we’re not quitters!” Ty Lee said. 

Azula chuckled and put a bandage over the cut she just cleaned. 

“I do love that attitude but sometimes you need to know when it’s time to surrender with honor,” Azula drawled as she started cleaning the next scratch. 

“I knew I could do it and I did,” Ty Lee said. 

Azula looked up from what she was doing and smiled at her wife. 

“Yes you did Ty. Good job,” she said. 

Ty Lee beamed. Azula loved how cute Ty Lee looked when she was proud of something. Even if the cost was a mauling by a cat.

“Now I just have to clean the one on your face,” Azula said, leaning forward. 

“No,” Ty Lee said, jerking back. “It’s going to hurt so much,” she whined.

Azula pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“Would you rather have an infection on your face?”

Ty Lee pouted. 

“Come here,” she said, indicating for Ty Lee to come onto her chair. 

Ty Lee got up and straddled Azula. 

“This is going to be really quick,” she said. 

“You promise,” Ty Lee said quietly. 

“Pull yourself together,” Azula said, her patience wearing thin. “This is already beyond accommodating for an adult woman.”

“Ok, I’m ready.” 

Azula sounded angry but she was actually remarkably gentle. She rested one hand on the base of Ty Lee’s neck to hold her still and brought the cotton swab up and quickly cleaned the cut. 

Ty Lee winced but didn’t move. 

“Good girl,” Azula said, smoothing a plaster over her face. “Now you have your battle scars,” she said, leaning back to examine her handy work.

“Do you think it’s going to scar,” Ty Lee said, horrified.

“You should have considered that before you assaulted a cat.” 

“Will you still love me when I’m scarred,” Ty Lee asked quietly. 

Azula leaned in and kissed her. 

“I will love you for the rest of my life no matter what you look like or what stupid things you do, but you are not going to scar from this,” she said. 

Ty Lee hugged her and Azula rubbed her back. 

“Thanks ‘Zula.”

The sound of claws pattered over the hardwood floor and both women turned around. 

Twinkle Toes was back. There was no trace at all of the sweater besides a few tufts of red wool in his fur.

Ty Lee flung herself off of Azula and lunged at him but he evaded her and skittered behind Azula. 

“He doesn’t love me anymore,” she said miserably. 

Azula got off the chair and gently leaned down. The cat allowed himself to be picked up. She brought him over to Ty Lee in her arms.

“Look what you did to your mommy,” she said. “You should be ashamed of yourself! This is the woman that feeds you. If it was up to me you’d be hunting in the yard like a real predator.”

The cat looked at her and meowed. Ty Lee could have sworn that he rolled his eyes.

“Don’t talk back to me,” Azula said. “Now make up with her,” she said, passing the cat to Ty Lee. He went willingly and she cooed excitedly about him for a little until he started to squirm. 

Ty Lee placed him down and he hopped onto their bed and curled up. 

“You’re the cat whisperer,” Ty Lee said to Azula who smirked. 

“It’s killing you isn't it,” she said. 

“No,” Ty Lee said slowly. “I’m just thinking about how good you would be with a real kid!”


	4. Winter Solstice: Colony Style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ty Lee invites Azula to her house for the Winter Solstice, excited to introduce her to her family's favorite traditions.

“Hey Princess,” Ty Lee asked as she left school with Azula on the last day before Winter Solstice break. 

Azula looked at her and raised an eyebrow in indication that she could continue. 

“What are you doing tonight?” 

Azula thought about her plans for the night in her head. 

Best case scenario: she has a very tense dinner with her father while he drills her about the previous semester. 

Worst case, and most probable, scenario: her father is in a meeting and Azula eats alone in her room. She didn’t miss her traitorous brother at all but at least he was another person to eat horrible holiday dinners with. 

“Probably nothing,” Azula admitted. 

“You should come to my house for dinner,” Ty Lee said excitedly. “And you can sleepover! It’ll be very fun. My mom cooks the best solstice food!” 

“Sure,” Azula said very nonchalantly. On the inside she was much more excited. Her evening plans just went from torturing the chef to having a sleepover with her secret crush. 

But a princess never shows her true intentions so Azula kept a neutral face. 

Ty Lee was held to no such standard and she grabbed Azula’s hand and squealed. Azula blushed and prayed to Agni that Ty Lee didn’t notice. 

“It’s going to be so much fun,” Ty Lee said, swinging their arms back and forth, oblivious to the fact that Azula was doing her very best to fight the redness on her face and the increase in her heart rate. 

“Is your whole family going to be there,” Azula asked as they strolled together towards Ty Lee’s house. 

“Of course! My mom, my dad, all six of my sisters and some of their boyfriends, and also both sets of my grandparents,” Ty Lee listed. 

“Your mom cooks enough food for everyone?”

“She probably spent the whole week getting ready. In the colony where she’s from the Winter Solstice is a really big deal and they can cook for up to a month in advance. Does your family not have big dinners?”

“You mean just my father and me? No, he’s very busy. He’s the Fire Lord you know.”

Ty Lee blushed and looked down. She knew how much Azula hated when she didn’t think before she spoke, but she didn’t seem to have much malice in her voice. 

“Hey, tell me about the food she cooks,” Azula said, noticing Ty Lee’s embarrassment and hoping to keep her good mood going.

It was much easier to pass the time when she was chattering, was all. Azula tried to convince herself she didn’t regret making hurtful or patronizing comments towards the other girl. 

Ty Lee looked up at her and smiled.

“Well you’re going to see soon but first of all she makes like a thousand dumplings, and before you say I’m exaggerating, just you wait. There are literally a thousand! First she makes the dough and then she makes the filling and then she just spends hours rolling them up and they all look identical and it’s pretty cool.”

“How long does it take to steam a thousand dumplings,” Azula asked.

“Probably two days,” Ty Lee said. 

“That’s dedication.”

“That’s not all! There’s also pear, parsnip and potato soup!”

“Okay you totally just made that one up,” Azula said skeptically. 

“I did not,” Ty Lee protested. “My grandparents have to bring the potatoes themselves because you can’t get them in Caldera and my mom makes the best soup.” 

“Interesting,” Azula said. 

“Obviously the best part is the desserts. We have cakes and cookies and my parents let us drink spiced rum that they keep especially for the solstice. Also there’s a bunch of other stuff I’m forgetting but that’ll just be a surprise.” 

They reached Ty Lee’s house and she rang the bell. The door swung open and Azula was hit with a wave of heat and the most amazing smells. 

As they stepped inside Azula realized that Ty Lee was still holding her hand and she pulled it away quickly. Ty Lee pretended not to notice. 

They slipped off their shoes and Ty Lee pushed Azula into the kitchen, which was full of chattering people and partially made food. 

Before anyone noticed their presence, Azula just stood and watched how the family interacted. They were laughing and chatting and touching. No one looked uncomfortable, or afraid to speak. Children were making free eye contact with the adults. 

“Hey everyone!” Ty Lee said, causing everyone to stop talking and turn to look at her. “I brought Azula for dinner!” 

Slowly everyone in the room realized who the girl was standing next to Ty Lee and they bowed.

Usually Azula loved when people bowed to her but for some reason she was uncomfortable that her presence had disturbed this family. 

Azula picked at her nails, which Ty Lee noticed as a sign of her discomfort. She grabbed her fingers again, causing Azula to flush, and dragged Azula over to a woman that looked exactly like an older version of her. 

“Mom, Azula doesn’t believe that you made 1000 dumplings,” she said, snapping everyone back to how they were. The room filled with the sounds of amicable chatter again.

Ty Lee’s mother chuckled and gestured at the table. The whole surface was covered with different batches of steamed dumplings packed so tightly that the tile underneath was barely visible. 

“This can’t possibly be a thousand,” Azula said, regaining her usual cavalier attitude, scanning the dumplings. 

“You may count them if you wish Princess,” Ty Lee’s mom suggested. Azula was about to accept the challenge but she felt Ty Lee fidgeting next to her. 

“What,” she said, turning to her. 

“I want to introduce you to everyone,” she said. Azula sighed and allowed herself to be towed from person to person, most of which looked eerily similar. 

After Azula had been introduced to the whole room, Ty Lee pulled her upstairs to her room. Or, the room she shared with two other sisters. 

“So, what did you think of everyone,” Ty Lee said, as Azula sat down on her bed regaly. 

“There are certainly a lot of them,” she said. 

Ty Lee giggled. 

“It’s more fun that way!”

“It’s more of a headache,” Azula said, lying down with her hands behind her head.

“I’m sorry,” Ty Lee said, looking a little hurt. 

Azula sighed. 

“Come here. You can’t stand while a princess is lying down, you know,” she said, passing off the bogus rule with much conviction.

Ty Lee’s face lit up again and she threw herself onto the bed next to Azula, careful to leave enough space between them so that they didn’t accidentally touch, but it was proving hard in a twin sized bed. 

Her leg made contact with Azula’s and the princess forgot to breathe for a second. 

“If my family is giving you a headache we can just wait up here until dinner,” Ty Lee said. 

“No. Let’s go back down in a minute,” Azula said. Ty Lee looked at her surprised. Azula usually refused to do things that inconvenciend her.

“You’re acting strange today,” Ty Lee accused. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’ve been flushed since we left school, you didn’t revel in the groveling my family did, and now you want to willingly put yourself in a place where you are going to get a headache,” Ty Lee said, counting on her fingers. 

Azula rolled her eyes. 

“Stop making things up,” she said. It both pleased and frustrated her how clueless Ty Lee was sometimes.

“There’s only one possible explanation,” Ty Lee said, and Azula’s heart rate spiked as she inched closer to her. 

“You must be sick,” Ty Lee announced, placing her hand on Azula’s forehead, causing Azula’s blush to reach a new shade of red. 

Azula quickly batted her hand away.

“I am not sick. Princesses don’t get sick.” 

“You’re really hot ‘Zula,” Ty Lee said, which caused Azula to physically choke on the air in her lungs. 

“I’m a firebender, we have a natural higher body temperature,” she responded quickly. She got up and fixed the nonexistent problems with her hair in the mirror.

“If you say so,” Ty Lee shrugged. 

“Let’s go back,” Azula said, walking towards the door. Ty Lee grabbed her hand once more as they left the room. Azula shot her a glance. She had a light smile playing on her lips. 

Maybe she wasn’t as clueless as Azula thought. Or the coincidences could be really strong.

As they reentered there was a loud banging. Ty Lee’s mom was hitting a wooden spoon against a metal pot. 

“Gather around everyone,” Ty Lee’s mom called. “We’re going to do the cards.”

Everyone clustered around the table where she was standing and Ty Lee pulled Azula along.

“What are the cards,” Azula whispered. 

“Everyone gets a random card from this deck my grandpa found in a forest or something and it’s supposed to be your future for the winter,” Ty Lee responded.

“What kind of cards are there,” Azula said as Ty Lee’s mom shuffled a tall stack of old looking cards. 

“If you get the millionaire, you’re going to be rich. If you get the fat man, you’re going to eat well. If you get an empty card you have to make your own luck,” Ty Lee said. 

“That last one sounds like a cop out,” Azula smirked. Ty Lee giggled. 

Ty Lee’s grandparents all cut the deck and then her mom began to distribute cards. When everyone had one they began flipping. 

“I got the lover!” Ty Lee announced when it was her turn. “I can’t wait to meet my true love! What’s yours ‘Zula?” 

Azula was next, she flipped over her card and it looked identical to Ty Lee’s.

Everyone at the table gasped and went silent, looking between herself and Ty Lee. Azula looked at everyone and then at the girl next to her who was staring at her too. 

“What? What does it mean? Tell me,” she demanded. 

“If two people get the lover card then it means that it’s true love they have to kiss,” Ty Lee murmured. 

Azula’s eyes widened. 

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to though,” Ty Lee said quickly. “It’s just a stupid tradition. It doesn’t mean anything.” 

“What do you want,” Azula said, briefly forgetting the audience. 

Ty Lee looked up at her, not expecting that response. She had expected screaming or fire or for Azula to run away. 

“What do I want?”

“Yeah,” Azula said quietly, taking a step towards Ty Lee but leaving enough space between them for Ty Lee to easily push her away. After months of seemingly unrequited crushing, this was the perfect opportunity for Azula to test the waters with Ty Lee.

Instead of stepping away, Ty Lee bridged the small distance between them.

Azula leaned forward and closed her eyes. Ty Lee followed suit. 

The kiss was brief but it was warm and sweet and right. 

When Azula pulled away everyone around the table went crazy cheering and hooting and whistling. 

She blushed and fought the urge to look down. 

“How was that,” she asked Ty Lee, who looked just as red as her for once. 

Ty Lee just giggled and threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly. Azula lifted her arms and hugged her back.

“Isn’t the Winter Solstice so much fun,” Ty Lee asked when she pulled back. 

“Indeed. Maybe my new favorite holiday,” Azula said with a smirk.


	5. Candy Cane Sword Fights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Firelord receives exotic gifts from all of his occupied territory. Sometimes he bestows a thing or two upon his daughter, and what would Azula do with these gifts but share them with Ty Lee?

Azula and Ty Lee lay on their backs in the palace gardens watching clouds pass overhead. Winter in Caldera was often mild and frequently much hotter than summer in some places. Despite the holiday approaching, the halls of the palace often got stuffy and humid.

Ty Lee loved to drag Azula away from her work as often as she could, even so that they could just lay together in silence. 

“What do you think that cloud looks like, princess,” she asked pointing at a large fluffy one passing overhead. 

“It looks like a breath of fire coming from the mouth of a mighty dragon,” Azula said as if that was the most natural thing to see in a cloud. 

Ty Lee giggled and pointed at a flatter, longer one. 

“What about that one,” she asked. 

“Well obviously that is the flame that comes from poor breath control. Look at how asymmetrical it is. That bender has much work to do on his technique.” 

Ty Lee turned onto her side to look at Azula. 

A rare, cool winter breeze passed over them causing the Princesses bangs to blow to the side of her face. She let them sway in the wind unbothered as she continued to stare at the sky but her mind was preoccupied with firebending.

Ty Lee could tell she wasn’t relaxing because the expression was far too thoughtful to be one of pure enjoyment. 

“I think you’re missing the point of the exercise ‘Zula,” she said. 

Azula tilted her head to look at Ty Lee and raised an eyebrow. 

“I didn’t realize that there was a point,” she said.

“Well duh. The point is to not think about work or fire or whatever for like half an hour.” 

“What would you have me think about,” Azula said, turning onto her side. 

Ty Lee loved the way her golden eyes looked when she was the sole object of their appreciation. Even if she could see preoccupation inside them, it made her feel special to be the only thing in front of them. 

“You should think about something fun!” 

“Does winning the war and perfecting the ancient art of firebending not sounds like an absolute blast to you,” Azula said in an extremely serious tone. 

Ty Lee stared at her blankly, perhaps there was no hope in getting her friend to kick back and relax. 

Her fears were dashed when Azula chuckled and sat up. She held out her hand and Ty Lee grasped it, allowing herself to be lifted as well. 

When their fingers touched Ty Lee felt a jolt of electricity so strong she had to wonder if it was Azula playing a prank on her, but the firebender seemed not to have noticed. 

“I think I have something you will enjoy,” Azula said standing up and brushing a few blades of grass out of her hair.

Ty Lee flipped onto her hands and then onto her feet. 

“Something I will enjoy?”

“Yes,” Azula said simply and she turned and walked towards the palace. 

Ty Lee skipped alongside her. 

“That’s a funny way for a soldier to walk,” Azula said. 

“Oh not at all Princess,” Ty Lee said, turning to skip backwards. “It’s far faster and more efficient than the boring old style you’ve adopted,” she said, mimicking Azula’s more sophisticated speech. 

Azula smirked as Ty Lee skipped backwards right into a column. 

“Ow! Why didn’t you warn me,” she said, rubbing her head. 

Azula walked over and brushed a hand over the base of Ty Lee’s skull softly. Ty Lee held her breath. She felt another jolt of electricity as Azula’s fingers made contact with her head and this time she was sure the princess had conjured it because it felt so real. 

“It’s not going to bruise,” she said. “And besides, you were trying to convince me to change the walking pattern of the entire Fire Nation army. I had to see if it was effective.” 

Ty Lee grinned. 

“What was your final assessment,” she said as they turned down the last hallway towards Azula’s room.

“I think that the current march is at least as effective, if not safer.”

Azula pushed open the door to her room and beckoned Ty Lee inside. She went to her drawer and pulled out a thin cardboard box with a flimsy plastic cover. 

Inside of the box were six red hook shaped… things. Ty Lee had never seen anything like them. 

“My father gets sent gifts from all over the world and sometimes he lets me have a few. He didn’t look that closely at these though because I think he believed them to be training implements.”

“What are they,” Ty Lee said, stepping closer. 

Azula opened the box and let her take one out. It was hard and not very sturdy looking. 

“They kind of look like the cane my grandma uses to walk around.” 

“Interesting observation,” Azula said, taking one herself.

“What are they,” Ty Lee asked again. 

“What do you think they are.” 

Ty Lee’s mind raced to all of the possible usages of the object in her hand. Knowing Azula it had to have a purpose besides decorative. She never kept anything around just because she thought it looked pretty. 

Many of the things that the princess liked also usually meant someone else got hurt, but the thing in her hand didn’t look too painful. 

Ty Lee’s thoughts drifted back to how Azula was always thinking about war and what she had said earlier. The Fire Lord gave them to his daughter as training implements so maybe that’s what they were and Azula was just leading her in the wrong direction, trying to get her to say something stupid. 

That seemed like the most likely answer. 

“Are they… used to duel,” Ty Lee guessed.

Azula chuckled. 

“Let’s find out,” she said, pointing her red cane at Ty Lee. 

Ty Lee’s eyes widened and she lifted hers to cross against Azula’s. 

“Ready,” Azula said. “Go,” she yelled and lunged forward. 

Ty Lee sprung back, careful not to let her tiny foil hit the ground. 

Azula stepped towards her and jabbed with the object, which Ty Lee noticed was just a little too small to be effective in training of any kind. 

She tried to parry Azula’s thrusts but she ended up backing up until her head hit a wall for the second time that day. 

“I surrender,” she said, holding her arms up. 

Azula nodded. 

“Open your mouth,” she said.

“What,” Ty Lee asked confused. 

“Open your mouth,” Azula commanded, more forcefully. 

Never one to fight with the princess, Ty Lee opened her mouth dutifully and stared at Azula, hoping her eyes conveyed her pleading not to be hurt. 

Azula raised the object in her hand towards Ty Lee’s open mouth and placed it on her tongue. 

“Close,” Azula said, and Ty Lee did so. 

She expected pain or shock but what she tasted was cinnamon and mint. She began to suck on the candy in her mouth excitedly. 

Azula chuckled and hooked her finger through the rounded part, slowly pulling her candy cane out of Ty Lee’s mouth. 

“It’s sweet!” 

Azula popped the candy that had just been in Ty Lee’s mouth into her own. Ty Lee tried not to think about how they basically just had an indirect kiss. 

“It’s a special wintertime candy,” Azula said, biting off a piece. “I do love how you wanted to duel though. Maybe I’m not the only one whose mind is always on the war.”

Ty Lee smiled and put the end of her own candy cane in her mouth. 

“Mmm, it’s really good,” she said, letting it hang out the side of her mouth like a pipe. 

Azula released an amused puff of air and crunched down more on her candy. 

“There’s four more,” she said, closing the box and putting it back in its place. “Maybe we can duel again tomorrow.”

Ty Lee beamed. 

“I’d love to do that Princess!”


	6. Cold Hands, Warm Neck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trip to Kyoshi Island in the winter leaves Ty Lee to put up with a cold and complaining girlfriend. Which she finds ridiculous because what was all of that fire bending training for?

“I don’t understand the purpose of cold weather,” Azula complained to Ty Lee as they disembarked the balloon onto Kyoshi Island. 

“I love it! It just feels so wonderfully crisp,” Ty Lee said, twirling around on the path. Light frost crunched beneath their feet as they walked. “I feel like snow is so much more becoming for the holidays, don’t you ‘Zula?” 

Azula did not respond. 

“‘Zula?” Ty Lee turned around to see Azula with her head halfway into the parka she’d reluctantly borrowed from Ty Lee. 

“Green is not a becoming color on Fire Nation royalty,” she’d protested when they were packing. 

“Everything is a becoming color on you princess,” Ty Lee coaxed. “Besides, you don’t have anything nearly warm enough for Kyoshi in the winter.” 

Ty Lee already felt a little bad for bullying Azula into this trip, but she really wanted to see her old friends for the winter solstice and she wanted to be with Azula as well. 

Why couldn’t she have what she wanted sometimes? 

However, if Azula got sick on the trip Ty Lee knew she would never live it down. Hence, parka.

Ty Lee giggled at her girlfriend trying to burrow her head into the fur like a turtleduck. 

“Aw ‘Zula, it’s not that cold.”

“No go ahead, laugh at my misery,” Azula said, rolling her eyes. 

“Don’t be so melodramatic,” Ty Lee said, wrapping an arm around Azula and rubbing her side. “You’re a firebender. Aren’t you, like, always supposed to be warm?” 

“I can’t focus on bending right now. These peasant clothes constrict my movement and it smells like garbage on this island and I’m literally freezing to death.”

“Oh hush,” Ty Lee said, kissing Azula’s exposed temple.

“You don’t believe me?” Azula said, her blush masked by how red her cheeks already were from the cold. 

Suddenly she whipped her hands out of her sleeves and placed them onto Ty Lee’s neck.

The acrobat shrieked and jumped away. 

Azula chuckled. 

“Your neck is so warm. Come over here and let me warm my hands on your neck,” she said, lunging towards Ty Lee again. 

Ty Lee jumped away again and took off running down the path towards the town. 

“You can make fire with your hands,” she screamed as Azula chased behind her.

“Why should I do that when I have a more ideal source of warmth,” she yelled after her. 

They reached the town and Ty Lee launched herself onto the first roof she saw, trying to escape Azula who was gaining on her. 

Azula didn’t have the raw launch power her girlfriend had so she followed along on the ground, villagers jumping out of her path. 

A few children tried to run along and cheer but their parents pulled them back. 

Ty Lee was gaining distance on her so Azula did the only thing she could think of. She tore off her parka and ignited her hands, propelling herself into the air and landing behind Ty Lee on the roof of a house. 

“I’m gonna get you,” Azula said. 

Ty Lee giggled and flipped off the roof back onto the path. Running to the edge of the roof, Azula bent her knee and launched herself forward, moving in a perfect arc to cut Ty Lee off and corner her against a building. 

Ty Lee giggled and put up a weak struggle to escape as Azula stalked toward her. Slowly, Azula smirked, raised her hand menacingly and placed it on Ty Lee’s throat. 

Ty Lee didn’t look at all bothered. 

“Your hands got warm! Look you’re not even bothered by the cold anymore and you dropped your parka somewhere along the way.”

“Pity,” Azula said dryly. Ty Lee giggled and brought her hands up to pull Azula’s fingers down.

“You’re going to get cold again, though. You’re not even dressed for a Fire Nation winter!” 

“Hmm. I guess you might just have to keep your princess warm,” she said with a smirk. 

“I think I would be okay with that,” Ty Lee said.

“Maybe you should just start now, before the chill sets in,” Azula continued. 

Ty Lee laughed and wrapped her arm around Azula.

“We should go find your parka though.”


	7. Carriage Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ty Lee has an amazing date idea but Azula has a small issue with one of the elements.

“Morning ‘Zula,” Ty Lee says, walking into the kitchen of their New York City penthouse apartment rubbing her eyes. 

Azula was sitting at the table with two mugs of coffee, reading the paper. 

“Good morning Ty,” she said, glancing up briefly to see her sleepy girlfriend pad towards her. 

Ty Lee leaned down to kiss her and Azula put down her paper so she could stand and wrap her arms around her girlfriend’s waist. 

They kissed for a little before Ty Lee pulled away. 

“Coffee?” 

Azula smirked and pushed her mug towards her. Ty Lee smiled gratefully and they both sat down at the table. 

“Mm,” Ty Lee said, taking a sip. “It’s not as sweet as it was yesterday,” she said. 

“What are you accusing me of,” Azula asked, raising an eyebrow playfully. 

“You’re trying to cut down on the sugar again,” Ty Lee said, narrowing her eyes. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t be drinking coffee with more sugar than liquid,” Azula said. “And besides, you get greeted with a tall, hot cup of coffee on this frigid winter morning and that’s how you express your gratitude?” 

Ty Lee sighed. 

“Thanks for the coffee ‘Zula. It’s still delicious albeit a little too bitter,” she said. 

“Oh give me that,” Azula said, grabbing the cup. She took a tentative sip and cringed, sliding the cup right back. “There is more than enough sugar in there to rot my teeth from the inside out after one cup.” 

“So dramatic,” Ty Lee said but she looked content as she continued to drink it without another complaint. 

“Breakfast?” Azula asked. 

Ty Lee shrugged. 

“We actually don’t have any food here but we could go out,” Azula said. 

Ty Lee shrugged again. 

“Very, very helpful love. Well, what do _you_ want to do?”

Ty Lee put down her now empty mug. 

“Do you want to go on a date later,” she asked. 

“A date? Do you have something in mind?” 

Ty Lee bit her lip and then looked up at Azula with big pleading eyes. 

“I’m not going to like this idea am I,” she asked with a sigh. 

“I think you’ll love it,” Ty Lee said. 

“Then why the face,” Azula replied. 

“Well, I’ve always wanted to go on a carriage ride around Central Park and it’s supposed to snow later and that would be so cute!” 

Azula recoiled slightly. Whatever she’d been expecting to hear, that had not been it.

“But we don’t have to go,” Ty Lee said quickly. “I know you’re afraid of horses,” she added, narrowing her eyes. 

It probably wasn’t fair to play to Azula’s strong and competitive nature but Ty Lee wanted to go on a picturesque carriage ride with her girlfriend, goddamnit. 

“I’m not afraid of anything,” Azula said, leaning back crossing her arms.

Bingo, Ty Lee thought. 

“It’s okay to be afraid of things. For example I’m afraid of-”

“I’m not afraid of anything,” Azula said with more conviction, leaning forward and resting her forearms on the table. 

Ty Lee mimicked her position on the table and brought her face so she was almost nose to nose with Azula. 

“Carriage ride in Central Park?”

Azula tilted her head forward and kissed her. 

“Carriage ride in Central Park,” she confirmed. 

Ty Lee squealed excitedly and jumped up from her seat, dancing around. 

“It’s going to be so much fun ‘Zula! And sooooo romantic,” she said. 

Azula chuckled. 

“Next time, definitely less sugar in the coffee.”

Ty Lee glared at her playfully but kept dancing. 

**********************************************************************************************************

It was a little under a half hour commute from Tribeca to Central Park and in that time Azula came up with a hefty list of reasons that she disliked horses outside of the ridiculous claim that she feared them. 

Every time she tried to make what she saw as a rational point Ty Lee just shushed her. 

When they got off of the subway, the city air was crisp and the streets were packed with tourists and residents alike. Azula grumbled every time someone walked too slow or stopped in the middle of the road to take a photo. 

Ty Lee just grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers which always seemed to pull Azula out of a crabby mood. 

Also Azula’s hands were warm despite the lower than freezing temperature, which Ty Lee didn’t comprehend but greatly appreciated. 

“I just don’t understand why they feel the need to come here and clog up our sidewalks,” Azula muttered as they had to sidestep another large family trying to get a selfie. 

“Because this is the best city in the world,” Ty Lee said. She held out her hand and squealed when a few small snowflakes dropped into it. 

“Look baby, snow,” she said excitedly, holding up her palm to show her girlfriend.

Azula smiled softly and kissed her head. 

“I see it Ty,” she responded. 

“It never snowed in Caldera! It’s just so fun every single time.”

Azula watched as Ty Lee tipped her head back and tried to catch snowflakes on her tongue.  
Azula was about to comment on the fact that Ty Lee was a 20 something year old woman and shouldn’t behave like that but it was too cute an act to interrupt. 

They arrived at a stand that advertised horse carriage rides and Ty Lee began to bounce on the balls of her feet. 

Azula took her hand back from Ty Lee and found the reservation on her phone. She showed it to the man at the booth and he nodded. 

Azula walked back to Ty Lee and slipped an arm around her waist. Ty Lee pressed close to her and Azula brushed a few snowflakes out of her hair with her free hand. 

Then, Azula heard some hooves behind her and she stiffened. Ty Lee felt her girlfriend’s trepidation. 

“It’s going to be so fun,” she whispered in her ear. “Picturesque, snowy, romantic.” 

Azula took a deep breath and exhaled before they turned around. 

She found herself face to face with a large brown horse and it took all of the self control in her body not to jump back. 

Horses just seemed really dangerous to her. Why put your life in the trust of an animal you couldn’t fully understand, that could at any moment just run into moving traffic or kick you hard enough to paralyze? 

“What a cute horsey,” Ty Lee cooed, stroking the horse’s nose. 

Azula made a choking sound.

“Azula likes you too, she's just a little concerned you’re going to kill her or something,” Ty Lee continued to say to the horse in a baby voice. 

“Azula and Ty Lee,” the man riding behind the horse asked. 

Ty Lee nodded and grabbing Azula’s hand she dragged her into the carriage. 

When they were settled Azula wrapped her arm around Ty Lee’s shoulders and Ty Lee rested her head against her girlfriend, grabbing her other hand and holding it between their laps. 

The carriage started to move as the horse pulled it along the path and Ty Lee felt Azula hold her breath. 

She kissed her cheek and rubbed Azula’s leg. 

“Don’t worry about the animal, focus on the ride,” Ty Lee said. 

Azula nodded.

“Even if their movements are choppy and not at all up to your ride standards,” Ty Lee said, mimicking Azula. 

This caused her to chuckle and finally relax. 

“I’ll protect you,” Ty Lee whispered into her ear. Azula smiled and kissed her. 

“Stop worrying about me, you’re missing the ride,” she said. 

The next half hour passed marvelously. The path around the park was right out of a postcard. The snow was sticking and it made everything look like it was being shown through a fairytale lens. 

Ty Lee exclaimed aloud at each location the carriage driver pointed out.

“Look over there ‘Zula,” she said, nudging Azula’s head towards all the things that caught her attention. “Why do you keep looking at me?”

“I think I’ve found the best looking thing in all of New York,” she said. 

Ty Lee blushed.

“I love this city,” Ty Lee said as the horse trotted along slowly. 

“I love you,” Azula said, snuggling in closer with her girlfriend. For warmth, of course.


End file.
